This invention relates generally to an improved blank cylinder apparatus. More particularly, this invention relates to an improved blank cylinder apparatus for use with a glass forming machine of the press and blow type which is a single table, continuous rotary motion maching having a plurality of individual forming units mounted for rotation about the axis of the machine. This type of machine is generally shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,979,211 which issued on Oct. 30, 1934 to G. E. Rowe. Machines of this type are commonly used in the glass industry today and are known as the "Emhart H-28 Machine." The type of machine shown in the 1,979,211 patent is a single gob machine. That is, at each forming unit, only one piece of ware is produced during a single cycle of each forming unit.
An improved version of this machine is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,339,264 issued to Francis A. Dahms on July 13, 1982, which patent is hereby incorporated by reference in this disclosure in its entirety. This type of machine shown in the patent is a double gob machine. That is, it forms two articles of ware during one cycle of each given forming unit. The apparatus shown in the 4,339,264 patent utilizes a blank cylinder mechanism in which a cylinder to which the blank molds are connected are raised during the period of operation of the machine when the glass gob is pressed and then returned to their lower position. The motion involved in raising and lowering of the blank cylinder involves both a vertical movement and a horizontal movement. In order for a machine to run efficiently, it is necessary for the blank cylinder to be able to raise the blank molds into the pressing position in the shortest period of time and then return the blank molds to their lower position for further processing of the parison or preform formed during the pressing operation.